Los Angeles Angels Trade Candidates - and what they're worth
By Jonathan Northrup, AngelsWin.com Columnist
All of this is highly subjective, so feel free to tell me I'm an idoit. Very simply, a 50 FV prospect projects to be an average regular; everything above that is good or better (55 = good regular, 60 = all-star, etc), and everything below that is worse (45 = fringe regular/platoon, 40 = bench, etc).
LIKELY means I would be surprised if the player in question wasn't traded. MAYBE means there's at least a 50-50 chance. UNLIKELY means I would be surprised, but it could happen given the right set of circumstances.
The Players Most Likely to Be Traded (in rough order)...
Raisel Iglesias - LIKELY, as plenty of contending teams could use him for the stretch run. He's probably worth the most at the deadline and could earn the Angels either a good to very prospect (50-55 FV) or a couple solid ones (45 FV). In a best of all worlds scenario, the Angels get a 55 FV guy and a 45 FV guy, but we shouldn't bank on it.
Alex Cobb/Andrew Heaney - One of them is LIKELY, either one on their own or both is MAYBE. Kevin Goldstein at Fangraphs called Cobb the "most underrated" trade target; hopefully major league teams agree. Both could be useful for a contender needing a fourth solid starter, so have some value. I think either could get the Angels a prospect in the 50 FV range. Heaney is younger and a perennial tease for being a #2-3, rather than the #3-4 he usually is, so might get the Angels a slightly better return.
Mike Mayers/Steve Cishek/Tony Watson/Alex Claudio - LIKELY at least one gets traded, MAYBE for each. I think Cishek or Watson would be most likely, with their veteran cred. All of these guys would get no more than a decent Rondon (30-35 FV, maybe 40 FV if they're lucky).
Jose Iglesias - MAYBE. He could be a useful bench player/fill-in guy on a contender. Won't get them much in return, but maybe an intriguing low level prospect in the FV 40 range.
Phil Gosselin/Juan Lagares/Kurt Suzuki - MAYBE. Gosselin has played well and might catch someone's eye, to fill a similar role as Jose Iglesias as a bench guy. Similarly with Lagares for a contender wanting a defensive 4th outfielder. Suzuki is less likely, but maybe someone will see the name and think, "I know that guy, he can hit a bit." None will get more than Rondons in return.
Dylan Bundy/Jose Quintana - MAYBE one, UNLIKELY both. A team might take a flyer on one of these guys, and the Angels would probably take whatever they could get, at least for Quintana. I think both will remain on the team and fill out innings, and either could be re-signed for a very cheap contract as a back-up plan. I don't think either would get more than a 35-40 FV prospect in return, and the Angels might have to pay some of their contract.
Justin Upton - UNLIKELY. The scenario in which Upton is traded is this: he comes back and resumes where he left off, channeling his 2018 self. Not a star, but a good player who could plug a hole on a contender (gross). Someone wants him, but needs money in return and the Angels have to pay half or more of next year's $28M salary. I don't think they trade him if it is much more than half, though, unless they get a prospect in return. Someone would throw in a Rondon or two.
Dark Horse 1: Taylor Ward - MAYBE/UNLIKELY. A team wants to fill a hole and acquire a cheap, useful player. Ward fits the bill and is expendable with Thaiss in AAA. The Angels probably wouldn't trade him for less than a solid 45+ FV prospect, but someone might cough that up. As solid as Ward has been, he's expendable and has limited upside (fringe regular, solid bench player). Meaning, he's the type of player that 45 FV prospects are projected to become, so if the Angels can get a 45+ pitcher, it would make sense for them.
Dark Horse 2: Jaime Barria - MAYBE/UNLIKELY. He got an extra year of options this year, but will have to be on the major league roster next year (I believe), but there's probably no place in the rotation, so he'll end up being a swingman. But someone might see potential here and could offer a decent (45 FV) prospect. If the Angels can get a higher upside lottery ticket for Barria, I could see them trading him.
Everyone Else - UNLIKELY. The Angels are unlikely to be buyers, so won't trade any of their cost-controlled young players and prospects, unless they're fringy and packaged to sweeten a deal.
0 Comments
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.